Feeding device for delivering metal to the pots of type casting and like machines



June 27, 1933. c. w. HARTMANN FEEDING DEVICE FOR DELIVERING METAL TO THE POTS OF TYPE CASTING AIID LIKE MACHINES Filed July 6, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet l J1me 1933- c. w. HARTMANN 1,915,491

FEEDING DEVICE FOR DELIVERING METAL TO THE POTS OF TYPE CASTING AND LIKE MACHINES Filed July 6, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 'C. W. HARTMANN FEEDING DEVICE FOR DELIVERING METAL TO THE POTS OF TYPE CASTING AND LIKE MACHINES lled July 6 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 June 27, 1933. I

INVEHTOR CHRL WILHELM HHRTMA 4:21 flrronnavs.

PER q will $113---. 1.

chines.

Patented June 2?3 1933 i'rso TATES CARL VV'ILEELM IIARTMANN, OF LYNGBY; NEAR COPENHAGEN, DENMARK, AS$IGNOB T0 FUNDITOR LIMITED, 033 LONDON, ENGLAND FEEDING- DEVICE FOR DELIVERING METAL TO THE POTS OF TYPE CASTING AND LIKE MACHINES Application filed July 6, 1931, Serial No. 548,928, and in Great Britain July 11, 1930.

This invention relates to an improved feeding mechanism for delivering metal to the melting pots of type casting and like ma- The object of thi s'invention is to provide a simple and efiective feeding mechanism which will feed a bar of type metal or the like into the melting pot of a type casting or like machine automatically so as to maintain the level of the molten metal in the pot at a substantially constant height.

According to this invention I employ a guide mounted upon the melting pot of a type casting or other machine and in which a bar of type metal or the like isadapted toslide into the pot, means being provided whereby the movement of the pot operates a device f r feeding the said bar through the guide into the pot a predetermined amount, and means also beingprovided to automatically render said device inoperative when the level of molten metal in the potis at a predetermined point.

This guide is arranged in a substantially vertical position so that the bar of type metal or the like will naturally tend to slide down into the pot under its own weight. Suitable teeth are formed in the harof type metal. or the like, and these teeth are engaged by means adapted to be'actuated at intervals by mechanism which comes into operation each tinie the pot is moved so as to feed the bar of metal into the pot by a predetermined.

amount; The operation of this feeding mechanism is also controlled by means of a float located in the pot and whose position will be affected by the level of the metal in the pot. The fioat is arranged so as to prevent feeding of the metal when there is suilicient molten metal already in'the pot, but to allow the feeding action to come into operation whenever the level of metal in the pot falls below a predetermined position.

In a suitable method of carrying my invention into practice as applied to a type casting machine, a suitable guide is mounted in a substantially vertical position upon the cover of the type metal pot. This guide is provided with a channel or guide in which fits the bar of typemetal, the lower end of which hangs down into the pot. in the front of the type bar are formed a series of teeth preferably inclined at an angle to the bar. These teeth may conveniently beformed in the sides of a groove in a type bar and may resemble ratchet teeth inclined in opposite directions to each other.

Mountedv upon the guide is a pivoted lever one end of which is acted upon by a float mechanism so as to cause the lever to turn. about its pivot as the height of the metal in thepot rises or falls. The lever is so arranged that the other end is adapted'to be brought to such position that it will engage against a fixed abutment each time the pot is moved to perform a casting operation if the level of the metal in the pot is below a predetermined height. When the free end of the lever engages against the abutment this will cause the whole lever and itspivot or the portion ofthe guide upon which it is mounted to move in a lateral direction and this lateral movement is caused to effect a feeding operation of the type bar. F or this purpose a projection on the pivot of the lever or connected thereto engages the teeth on the type bar and when the lever is moved by coming against the fixed abutment during the movement of the pot then the projection will be pushed out of engagement with one set oft-eeth and into engagement with the other set of teeth. On

the return movement the projection will again engage the first set of teeth but with the tooth next adjacent to the one in which it was previously located. This return movement may conveniently be effected by the weight of the metal acting th oughthe inclined face of the second set of teeth. The two sets of teeth are arranged of substantially ratchet form each having an inclined face and a substantially horizontal face. One set of teeth is provided withthe horizontal face on their under side and the other with their horizontal face on the upper side. Normally the type bar rests with the horizontal under- 9 face of one set of teeth on the projection and will continue to remain supported in this manner until the pivoted lever comes into engagement with the fixed abutment during one of the movements of the type metal pot.

When this occurs the projection will be pushed out of engagement with the teeth at one side of the type bar and the type bar may drop through a short distance until the inclined face of one of the teeth on the other side'of the groove engages against'the projection which is suitably shaped for this purpose. lVhen the pot makes its return move.- ment the weight of the type bar acting through the inclined face of its teeth onthe corresponding face of the projection will.

force'the projection over toward the teeth on the other side of the groove in the type bar and the type bar will drop the remaining distance making the whole movement equal to the pitch between the teeth. 'The I engagement once the lever comes into contact with the abutment. The fioat may operate the lever through a suitable rod mounted in guides and thisbar may be substantially lustrating an; embodiment thereof,

cranked and having a free end adapted to engage the upper face of one end of the lever so that as the float falls with the level of the metal in the pot the end of the rod will depress one end of the lever thus raising the other end of the lever so as to bring it into contact with the fixed abutment when the melting pot is 'moved. Alternatively the float may be arranged to raise one end of the lever so as to lower the other end out of line with the abutment.

In order that my invention may be clearly understood and readily carried into effect I have appended hereto a sheet of drawings iland wherein Fig. 1 is a front elevation view of the cover and guide mounted on the type metal pot which is removed as it can be of known construction and does not form part of. this invention. I

Fig. 2 is a side elevation View of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a plan View of Fig. 1.

Fig. 1 is a side elevation view of the adj ustablestop which is engaged by the pivoted abutment carriedby the guide. I

Fig. 5is an end View of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a broken side elevation View of the bar of type metal which is guided-into the melting pot,' and Y Fig. 7 is a plan view of Fig. 6.

Referring to the drawings acover or casting adapted to take the place of the usual lid of the metal pot of a type casting machine is indicated by the reference numeral 1 and the bar of type metal whichis gradually fed by gravity into the pot is shown at 2 in Figs.

6 and 7, this being shaped in cross section to slide vertically in a substantially D section vertical tubular guide 3 upstanding from the cover 1, the downward feed of the type bar 2 being controlled bythe level of molten metal in the pot for which purpose a float 4 depends by a vertically slidable rod 5 into the pot and rises and falls with the level of molten type metal, the fall of this float beneath'a predetermined level bringing two abutments into alignment which abutments engage each other as the pot is rocked forward to effect a casting or feed of the molten type metal resulting in "the operation of the device for feeding the type bar 2 downwards for a predetermined amount.

One of said abutments is a horizontal finger 6 extending from the upper end of a fixed bracket 7 so as to lie in the path of the other abutmentwhich is'the leading end So of an arm 8 pivoted between its ends ona pm 9, its other end 8b abutting against a downwardly projecting finger 1O threaded for adjustment vertically through a collar 11 fixed to the free end of a horizontal cranked extension-5a of the float rod 5. A lock nut 10a threaded on the pin 10 holds it n selected position. The weight of the leading end of the arm Sis greater than its end 8?; so as to maintainthe end 86 in contact with the finger l0 and the end 864 just beneath the planeof the finger 6 when there is a proper quantity of molten metal in the pot, but when this level falls the weight of the float 4 is added to the endv 8b of the arm'8 and the leading end So is; raised so that it strikes the abutment finger 6 when the pot is 'slid horizontally to effect a feed. i

The pivotpin 9 of the arm 8 is fitted into a horizontal bar 12 slidable in a channel 13 in acover plate 1 1 fixed by screws 15 to one side of the type bai guitle 3', so that-when the arm 8 engages the abutment 6 the bar 12,

which normally occupies the position shown in Fig. 1 is sli d rearward's, the pin 9 sliding 1n a slot 16 in the plate 14. The bar 12 carries a lateral lug or tooth 17 which engages in a vertical channel 18 in one face of the type bar 2 and this channel is provided in its opposing vertical edges with a series of regularly shaped but oppositely directed ratchet teeth 19 and 20 the horizontal faces 21 of which are arranged in stepped formation whereby the lug 17 can normally engage under one of the horizontal faces 21 as shown in full lines at 'a in Fig. 6 and whenv it is moved rearwards due to*the arm Sstriking the abutment 6 it will engage above the upper horizontal face o'tairatchet tooth 19 on the rear side of the channel 18 as indicated by the broken lines 1), thereby leaving the type bar free to drop until the next horizontal face in successiono'f the ratchet teeth in the leading side of the channel 18 abuts against the lug 17 as indicated by the dotted lines 0, the weight of the type bar 2 and the inclined faces of the rear set of ratchet teeth applying a cam action to the lug 17 to return the bar 12- to the normal position shown in Fig. l, Byv this means a positive automatic feed of the type bar 2 is always ensured when it is required to replenish the molten type metal in the pot.

A a shaped or other suitable projection 22 on a flat face 23 of the vertical guide 3 engages a corresponding groove 24 in a flat face 25 of the type bar 2 to ensure proper alignment of the channel 18 with the lug 17, a. spring loaded plunger 26 being pressed against an arcuate face 27 of the type bar to retard the fallof the type bar and alsn giving an indication when the type bar has reached its last stages.

The abutment 6 preferably has a cam shaped free end in the form of an inclined face 6a terminating at its lower end in a ledge or V shaped recess 62') in which engages the end 8a of the arm 8 at the appropriate moment, this inclined face 60; ensuring the end 8a of the arm 8 properly engaging the abutment 6. In addition or alternatively to the est-able pin 10 which enables the plane of the end 8a of the arm 8 to be adjusted, the abutment 6 can be adjusted vertically by mounting it in a vertical arm 70, slotted as at '4'?) to receive a lining stud threaded into the upper end of the bracket 7. The abutment 6 is preferably adjustable axially by clamping it in a split collar 7d in the upper end of the arm 7a.

The bar carrying the type bar release lug 17 can be moved by hand by means of a lateral handle 12a should it be required to move the type bar 2 downwards into the pot without moving the pet.

The cover 1 and bracket 7 may be shaped so that they can be readily adapted to existing type setting machines.

Feeding mechanism arranged and constructed according to my invention will enable a bar of type metal to be fed in regular even movements at short intervals each time the pot is operated so as to. maintain the correct level of type metal in the pot and the float will act to out out the feeding operation when there is sufficient metal already in the rot.

l claim i. In mechanism for feeding type bar metal into the melting pot of a type casting machine,a cover member mounted on top of the pot, a vertical guide for the type bar carried by said cover member, a horizontally slidable abutment on said guide adapted to successively engage successively arranged abutments in the type bar and thereby to release it a predetermined amount, a pivoted a m the pivot of which is carried by said abutment, a float controlled stop engaging said arm and a fixed abutment located in the path of said arm adapted to engage the arm and to cause horizontal sliding movement of the type bar engaging abutment, the arrangement being that when the level of molten metal in the pot falls said arm is pivotally moved by the falling float to a position in the path of said fixed abutment so that when it engages the fixed abutment it is slid relatively to the type of bar guide and slidab'ly carries the type bar engaging abutment with it from one abutment in the type bar to the next in succession.

2. An improved mechanism for feeding type bar metal into the melting pot of a type casting machine comprising a cover member mounted on top of the pot, a substantially vertical guide formed upon said cover member shaped to slidably receive a bar of type metal, an arm pivotally and slidably connected to said guide, a float in the said pot, a fixed abutment carried by a stationary support mounted in juxtaposition to said guide, said pivotally supported arm being adapted to be rocked into and out of the plane of the ing movement of the said pivotally supported arm relative to the said guide, said arm being pivoted between its ends and connected at one end to the said that, its 1 ivot being slidable substantially horizontally relative to said guide and being connected fixedly to the abutment adapted to the type bar.

3. An improved mechanism for feeding type bar metal into the melting pot of a type casting machine comprising a cover member mounted on top of the pot, a substantially vertical guide cover member and shaped to slidably receive a bar of type metal, an abutment pivotally and slidably connected to said guide, a float in the said pot, a fixed abutment disposed alongside the cover member, said pivotally supported abutment being adapted to be movedinto and out of the plane" of the fixed abutment by the falling and rising respectively of the said float, said pivotally supported abutment being adapted to be moved relative to the said guide when it engages the said fixed abutment consequent upon the slidin of the pot, and a further abutment adapted to effect a feeding of the type bar, such feeding being produced by the sliding movement of the said pivotally supported abutment relative to the said guide, saidpivoted abutment comprising an arm pivoted between its ends and connected at one end to the said float, its pivot being slidable substantially horizontally relative to said guide and being connected fixedly to the abutment adapted to feed the type bar, and an extension of the pivot of the said arm projecting through the guide so that the said arm can be operated by hand to release the bar, of type metal. I Y 7 4. An improved mechanism for feeding type bar metal into the melting pot of a type casting machine comprising a cover member mounted on top of the pot, a substantially vertical guide formed with said cover member and shaped to slidably receive a bar of type metal, an abutment pivotally connected to and translatably movable relative to said guide, a float in the said pot, a fixed abutment,

said pivotally supported abutment being adapted to be moved into and out of the plane of the fixed abutment by the falling and rising respectively of the said float, said pivotally supported abutment being adapted to be moved relative'to the said guide when it engages the said fixed abutment consequent upon the sliding of the pot, and a further abutment adapted to successively engage the type bar to effect a feeding of the type bar,

such successive engagement being produced by the translative movement of the said pivotally supported abutment relative to the said guide, a recess in which said fixed abutment is engaged and a cam shaped extremity to said abutment engaging in said recess.

5. An improved mechanism for feeding type bar metal into the melting pot of a type .casting machine comprising a cover member mounted on top of the pot, a substantially vertical guide carried by the cover member and shaped to slidably receive a bar of type metal, an abutment pivotally connected to said guide and translatably movable relative thereto, a float in the said pot, a fixed abutment, said pivotally supported abutment be-- ing adapted to be moved into and out of the plane of the fixed abutment by the falling and rising respectively of the said float, said pivotally supported abutment being adapted to be translatably moved relative to the said guide when it engages the said fixed abutment consequent upon the sliding of the pot,

and a further abutment adaptedto successively engage the type bar to effect a feeding ofthe type bar, such successive engagement being produced by the translative movement of the said pivotally supported abutment relative to the said guide.

CARL WILHELM HA TMANN. 

